Rubber-like protective clothing has widespread use for various water sports. For example, protective garments in the form of wetsuits are variously constructed for warmth and protection in water activities. For example, such garments are used in surfing, diving, water skiing, and board sailing.
Generally, protective garments for water sports are made of rubber-like material having a substantial thickness. For example, closed cell neoprene is one form of rubber-like material which is in widespread use for wetsuits. Such material is protective and has a degree of elasticity to accommodate dressing in such a garment. In that regard, a snug fit is generally advisable not only for the effective retention of body heat but also to protect the wearer and allow him or her efficient movement in the water. Consequently, in spite of the resiliency of the material, donning and removing such protective garments normally involves inconvenient tugging and pulling to some extent. Generally, the greatest aggravation is encountered at sleeve and leg cuffs (terminations) where the garment terminates in a circular orifice.
Various closures including zippers have been proposed for use in protective water garments to facilitate donning and removing such garments. However, fasteners invariably present several complications. Specifically, they can snag or bind, and they increase fabrication costs. Consequently, fasteners are usually avoided if practical.
It has been proposed to make protective suits for water use of rubber-like material clad with a fabric. Generally, the addition of a fabric layer is helpful in sewing the garment together and also tends to render the garment more resistive to tearing. Accordingly, wetsuits have been provided with fabric layers on: the inside, the outside, and both sides of the suit. Fabric inside the suit may tend to ease the operation of donning and removing the suit. That is, the fabric interior may have less tendency to bind against the wearer's skin than the bare rubber-like material. However, the added fabric may tend to limit the elasticity of the rubber-like material with consequential difficulties. Specifically, drawing the cuffs (terminations) of suits made of such material over the hands and feet of the wearer tends to be difficult, particularly if the cuffs incorporate a hem or a section of increased thickness.
In general, the present invention comprises a protective garment for personal use in water activities which is formed of rubber-like material having a thickness of at least 3/32 of one inch. The covering may be clad on one or both sides with a fabric, e.g. nylon. The cuff terminations at the arms and legs (extremities) of the garment are provided to define an elongated orifice having an annulus measurement substantially greater than the cross section (cut) of the garment contiguous to the cuff. For example, tapered and arcuate cuff forms are disclosed herein to ease forcing a hand or foot through the orifice.